(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Held for the first time in 2014 the pan-arab imagine cup semi-finals held in doha challenged students to innovate across microsoft?s technology platforms with each team presenting projects that take on some of the world?s most-pressing problems.
young innovators from qatar and bahrain are on their way to the united states to represent the middle east in the worldwide finals of imagine cup 2014 the global student technology competition from microsoft besting a 23-team field from 12 arab nations.
held for the first time in 2014 the pan-arab imagine cup semi-finals held in doha challenged students to innovate across microsoft’s technology platforms with each team presenting projects that take on some of the world’s most-pressing problems.
the worldwide finals will be held on july 29 in seattle where 35 teams will vie for top honours and support for their ideas through special competitions including the facebook creativity award and skype award. also new this year is that the top team in each category during the finals will have the opportunity to take part in the imagine cup boot camp where they will receive hands-on mentorship and project development support from microsoft and industry experts.
team i copy you from qatar university comprised of nour musa and wa’ed hakouz won the world citizenship category with their low-cost educational software designed to build communications skills among children with autism. using microsoft’s kinect camera — the motion-sensing input device used in the xbox consoles and windows pcs — the software detects the motions of a child and provides feedback to a “robosapien” — a low-cost humanoid robot — which uses the information to mimic the movements of the child.
bahrain’s butterfly represented by alaa abdulraheem emerged victorious in the innovation category for his “nail polish mixer” a mobile application controlled by one machine that allows women to create their own nail polish mix test different colours match it with skin types and choose between three finishes — then share it across all social media platforms.
“each year the imagine cup brings together three things i am truly passionate about — technology youth and imagination” dr hessa al jaber qatar’s minister of information and communications technology said at the event. “the skills that each student will take home from the imagine cup are absolutely essential not only for building a business but for building successful careers in generations to come.”
world citizenship honours the software application project with the most potential to make a positive impact on the betterment of humanity while innovation rewards apps that deliver technology that advance user experiences in various areas.
the world finals will also feature pakistan’s amplifiers with their “project amp – auditory modified perception” while the third category — games — will see india’s seven summits with petite the philippines’ animus with fitpals and egypt’s illogic with puppy in bubble competing.
projects from the region have a history of success at the imagine cup; from the middle east and north africa teams from algeria egypt jordan and uganda have all taken top prizes in recent years.
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